The Hero's Search:
by James Fischer
Summary: This is the tale of the boy in green, and his epic quest to save the woman he loves. this draws inspiration from every Zelda game, but is a standalone work of fiction.
1. Chapter 1

_**This is my first time ever writing a fanfic. but i've always loved The Legend of Zelda. Please review and tell me what you think!**_

He rode across the endless desert determined, slapping his untamable beast's hide, urging her to go faster. Thick, brown dust kicked up under the horse's hooves. The hero's eyes were tired, but his heart beat true. He knew that he would see _her_ again. On his search for her, he had traveled through dark forests, vast lakes, and now, this seemingly endless desert. As he gazed down at his steed's weary head, and sweat-filled mane, he decided that it may indeed be a good time for a rest. He found a spot near an old scraggly tree; where offered up a prayer of thanks to Nayru, any shade in this wasteland surely had something to do with divine intervention. He pulled out his canteen, and gave his steed a desperately needed drink.

"Epona, Epona, rest now", he spoke softly. His beloved horse was one of the very few beings that he conversed with. He searched in Epona's saddle bag until he found what he was looking for.

Lon-Lon Milk; incredibly useful, impossible to spoil, and irresistibly delicious. As he drank deeply, a note fell from the underside of the bottle. He picked it up to read it, his curiosity peaked.

_"My dearest Link,_

_Take part in this gift, surely it will aid you in your quest. I have packed a few other things inside for you that you may find useful. Take care, be safe, and may Hylia protect you. I pray earnestly to see you again._

_-Malon_

He smiled at the memories of her, of working on the farm together, harvesting the crops before they spoiled in the heat, the innocent laughter of childhood. He knew that she had taken a strong liking to him, perhaps even more. He also knew that he broke her heart when he left the farm, when he left on his quest to save _her_ from the dark powers of evil. But his heart did not belong to Malon. It belonged to his precious one, the one that he could not live without, the one that his fate had been tied to since his conception.

It belonged to Zelda.

Ah, Zelda, his beloved princess that he searched so desperately for; the woman that held the key to his heart. He pictured her standing there in the Wing Ceremony, her blond hair blowing beautifully in the breeze. He recalled the late nights they shared together under the Statue of the Goddess while he played the Ocarina for her. He remembered- his thoughts were interrupted by movement in the saddle bag. He immediately drew his blade, its hilt glowing purple in the bright sunlight. He gently tapped the bag with the sword, being careful to not cut it.

"Ow!" the unseen voice cried out in protest, muffled by the expensive leather of the bag. "Quit poking me!" Link nearly died of astonishment when he heard the voice. How could he not of known that there was a living creature in that bag the whole time?

"Come out immediately". Link commanded.

"Sure genius, as soon as you let me out of this _cursed bottle!" _ The tiny voice screamed. Links eyes widened. He slowly reached into the bag and pulled out the jar. He stared in amazement at the defiant creature inside.

"So, are you going to let me go finally?" the winged creature asked angrily. "I have been tortured long enough!"

"You… you're a fairy!" Link said, still bewildered that he had not found this creature earlier.

"No, I'm a Zora." The fairy replied sarcastically. "Of course I'm a fairy!"

"Well, well, why are you in my saddle bag?" Link questioned.

"I was put here by that wretched red haired girl!" the fairy exclaimed. "All I took was a few Rupees! Just a few! They were just lying about; I was so sure that they wouldn't be missed!"

"Ah, so you are a thief, then." Link said, understanding. "Malon doesn't take kindly to those that take what is not theirs."

"Well, the fairy defended. "It wasn't exactly thievery. Maybe a bit of dishonesty, but not technically thievery! No reason at ALL to trap me in that horrid potion jar!" it was then that Link noticed a note, crumpled and forgotten at the bottom of the jar, no doubt trampled by the angry fairy.

"What is that?" Link asked, pointing to the note.

"This? Well, I have no idea. I was going to destroy it in anger, but then realized that I couldn't read Hylian, and that it may be of some importance." The fairy replied tartly. Link reached into the jar, and gingerly took out the note. The fairy saw this as her chance. She darted out the top of the jar. At last, she was free! She felt a sense of pride, of accomplishment; that is, until Link grabbed her by the wing.

"Bah! No! Let. Me. GO!" the fairy roared. Link, ignoring her screams, thrust her back into the jar and secured the cork lid. As soon as he set it down, she began slamming against the sides of the jar in rage, rocking it too and fro and eventually knocking it over on its side. Link was worried that the glass might break, until he noticed the symbol engraved on the side of the bottle. This was no ordinary glass, this was Goron Glass; tempered deep within the heart of Death Mountain. Engineered to be able to hold molten lava, melted metal, and much more. It was unbreakable.

Link read the note.

_Link,_

_There is one more thing I forgot to tell you. This troublesome pixie was found stealing from my father. He wished to dispose of her, I persuaded him to allow me to slip her into your bag, telling him that she may be of use to you; an idea that I have serious doubts about. Do with her as you wish._

_-Malon_

"Well now. Link pondered. What shall we do with you?"

"I will tell you exactly what you are going to do!" the fairy shrieked. "You are going to let me go! I have business with the Gerudos!"

"By the gods, you are annoying." Link mumbled. "Wait! You know the way to the Gerudo fortress?"

"Yes, I do." The fairy replied indignantly. I know my way around all of Hyrule, as any self-respecting fairy would." Link pondered this response. He had been searching for the Gerudos for days; if she knew the way…

"I'll make you a deal." Link bargained. "You show me the way to the Gerudos, and I will set you free."

"And why would I help you?" the fairy scoffed.

"Because if you don't." Link said slowly, each word ground out in irritation. "I will leave you in that jar, and cast you into the Great Sea!" it came out more harsh sounding than he would have liked. But he was desperate. He had spent days searching for the fortress, months searching for Zelda. His quest had led him through the despair of the Lost Woods, the magnificence of Lake Hylia; but it had not brought him to his beloved. This had infuriated him.

"Fine". The fairy replied, now aware that she had been defeated. "But make a note, bright boy. I am not your friend. I am not even your _acquaintance._ I am your guide. And that is all."

"Perfect." Link replied. "Although, I would like to know your name. I suppose you wouldn't want me to call you "Fairy" the whole way."

"Navi". She replied. And yours?

"Link."


	2. Memories

Link and Navi's journey had taken them even deeper into the desert. The wind whipped through the barren landscape and over the sand dunes. They were all weary, and desperately in need of water. Link endlessly prayed to find and oasis soon. But none came into view through the thick, coarse dust.

"How much farther?" Link asked when the dust had cleared enough to speak.

"Not much further." Navi stated confidently. "Only a few more miles." Those words rang in his ears, he caught himself replaying them in his head over and over. "Only a few more miles". Would Zelda be here? He desperately needed to see her again. The only physical reminder he had of her was a note she had written to him the day before she had been kidnapped. He remembered the words of the note like they had only just been spoken to him, but he fished the note out of his pocket and read it again, just to be safe.

_Link,_

_I write this to you as a reminder. Don't be late again! Last time you kept me waiting for over an hour! If this happens again, I won't love you anymore! _

-Zelda

He laughed to himself as he remembered the story behind the note. He and Zelda had had a date set. They were to sneak out late at night and take a stroll throughout Hyrule. Sure, it took a long time, but to the two of them, the hours seemed like minutes, and the minutes like seconds. They tried to spend as much time as possible together, although this attempt was sometimes in vain. No one knew of their relationship except the two of them. Her father, Daphnes, was an incredibly strict father. He refused to he allow her to see any male suitors. Of course, this rule was ignored.

Links train of thought switched to the day his beloved was taken from him. He remembered the assault on Castle Town by the strange invaders; he remembered the screams of the innocent as they ran in terror from the attackers. He remembered the shops that burnt to the ground, and the sound of monsters shrieking evily. Zelda had been at the Malo-Mart buying groceries for the day. The name might sound a bit odd, the prices were fair. She had been seized by one of the marauders and taken hostage. Link had arrived just in time to hear her screams as she was taken away. He felt a stab of regret in his heart. If he could of just gotten there faster…

The dust storm suddenly cleared. Link could finally breathe normally. He felt joy at the knowledge that he could now see the beautiful blue sky above him. In the distance, he saw an immense fortress. Complete with stone walls guarded by archers. There were several large towers, battered from the elements. There were tents pitched around the perimeter of the fortress, and menacing looking people wandering around.

"Behold, the Gerudo Fortress". Navi stated sarcastically.

A feeling of dread overtook him. This… would be difficult.

She fought desperately against the ropes that bound her. Her wrists were rubbed raw from her previous attempts. She had slowly begun to give up hope. It had been almost a month since her capture, and she had not had a rescuer. She could only hope that Link was coming. Yes, he would certainly come for her. There was no way that he would just sit around and do nothing.

She was startled by the sound of a turning lock, and the opening of the cell door. a stout, suspicious looking man swiftly walked in. he dropped a tray of food at her feet, and turned to leave.

"If I'm locked in, then what is the point of tying me up!" she spat savagely. The man turned and walked to her. He took out a knife and swiftly cut her bonds. She looked at him, astounded.

"Why would you-" she started.

"Because I'm here to help. He interrupted hoarsely. "I'm trying to get you out of here! The guards will be by soon. After that, I'll co- Zelda screamed as the elderly man dropped to the floor. The figure standing in the doorway casually walked over, and wrenched his knife out of the poor man's back. He wiped it clean with the sleeve of her deceased savior's tunic, and slid it back into its sheath. He wore grey, his white hair was completely covering one eye, and the other was adorned with purple make-up. His skin was pasty white, and he wore a red cape. His body radiated pure evil.

"Now now, he whispered softly." You wouldn't be trying to escape, would you?"


	3. Confrontations

Zelda looked at the man in horror, still in shock over what she had just witnessed.

"Oh my dear, dear Zelda. He chided innocently, as if he was talking to his daughter rather than his hostage. "Did you really think that I, the great Ghirahim, would allow you to escape? Rather, did you really think that you could escape? Oh, but I simply adored your scream of horror. I'm giving it four out of five stars.

"Zelda just stared at him, her eyes empty. Who was he? What could he possibly want with her, a simple girl from Castle Town? How did he even know her _name_? Zelda boldly vocalized her thoughts.

"Strange". Ghirahim stated flatly. "I thought I made myself quite clear. Alas, you are a child; so I suppose I must say it twice." He took a step back and threw his hands up into the air with glee.

"I am the great and powerful Ghirahim! King of Demons! Suddenly, the world seemed to go fade to gray, Zelda felt a chill as all warmth suddenly left her cell. Ghirahim's eyes seemed to cloud over.

"Forgive me." he apologized, "Prince". He spat out his true title with contempt and hatred, as if he couldn't stand the taste the word left in his mouth. Zelda felt relieved when warmth returned to the room.

"Prince of Demons, huh?" Zelda said with mock awe. "You look like a clown". Ghirahim sauntered toward her, and casually grabbed her by the neck, his long fingernails gently digging into her flesh.

"Listen to me girl." He whispered sadistically in her ear. I really do not appreciate being mocked, especially by children. I will not hesitate to kill you, do you understand?" he released her, and Zelda dropped to the floor like a sack of bomb flowers. Zelda carefully massaged her neck, making sure her wind pipe wasn't crushed. His grip was one of iron. Ghirahim turned to leave.

"You won't kill me." Zelda said defiantly. "You need me for something; if you didn't, than I would be dead already." Ghirahim faced her, and stared into her violet eyes.

"You know, you're smarter than you let on." He complimented. That could get you into trouble. And believe me, if I had my way, you would end up like him." He gestured to the body still sitting on the floor at Zelda's feet."

"But I have need of you. And you _will_ help me; you see… he drew his knife from its sheath and gazed at it lovingly. "I can be very, very persuasive." He sauntered over to the doorway.

"I'll leave you with your friend." he called over his shoulder. And with that, he walked out of her cell. Leaving Zelda alone, and very, very frightened. She cried herself to sleep, dreaming of rescue.

"Ok, so here's the plan." Link stated. He had drawn a map of what he could see of the fortress in the sand. "We enter through here." He gestured to what he thought was a back entrance with a stick he found in the desert sands. We make our way throughout the fortress, avoiding the guards until we find Sheik.

"Quick question." Navi asked quizzically. Who's Sheik?

Link felt a pang of remorse, and then anger. "Sheik is… Sheik was, a friend."

"Why is he not a friend?" Navi pushed.

"Just forget about it." Link stated flatly.

"And how do you know that he's at the Gerudo Fortress?"

"I said drop it!" Link snarled.

"That's it!" Navi boiled over. I've done nothing but help you, and you think you can just talk to me like I'm trash? Who do you think you are?"

"Navi, I'm sor-"

"Pfft, forget you!" Navi continued. I got you here, now my end of the bargain is up! I'm out of here! Link was shocked. Of course, he knew she would leave. But he was hoping she would stick around a little longer. He had been so lonely traveling alone…

"Wait! Please don't go." Link protested.

"Wow, really?" is wittle Link lonely?" Navi's words were like daggers. Yes, yes he was lonely. But now he would rather eat sand than be in her company. With those parting words, Navi flew towards the fortress, leaving Link standing on the sand dune, alone.

"Bitchy Fairy!" Link yelled after her.

He didn't need her anyway. It would be dark soon, and then he could sneak into the fortress. Soon… soon he and Zelda would be united. He missed her so; his heart desperately ached for her. He longed for her touch, the gentle way she would nibble on his earlobe. He laid down in the sand, and tried to get some sleep before his invasion.

_He was sitting under a tree in Hyrule Field. It was a towering Hylian Oak, and children were playing in its bountiful branches. A crowd of people approached. Everyone he knew and cared about was there together, Malon, her father, his little sister Aryll, and… Zelda; his beloved Zelda. She was there! With them! He jumped up and raced towards her. He scooped her up in his arms and gazed lovingly into her eyes, tears spilled down his cheek. They were together, finally. He kissed her passionately. Nothing could separate them. The crowd slowly dispersed, leaving the two lovers together. They collapsed on the ground, and just gazed into each other's eyes. Zelda softly traced his face with her finger._

"_I've missed you". She whispered softly._

"_And I you, my beloved." Link replied._

He awoke with a start, breathing heavily and covered in sweat. He forgot where he was for a moment and panicked. She was just there; he could still feel her hand against his face. A lone tear escaped his eyelid, and Link quickly brushed it aside. This was neither the time nor the place. He glanced over at the fortress, it had gone dark. And all was quiet. He smiled to himself. The time had finally come.


End file.
